1Paul arrived at Derbe and Lystra where he saw a disciple named Timothy. He was the son of a Jewish woman, and his father was a Greek. 2The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3Paul wanted to have him travel with him. So he had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in the area. For they knew that his father was a Greek. 4They went through the towns and delivered to the believers the rules decided upon by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. They told them to obey those rules. 5The congregations were made stronger in the faith and grew in numbers every day. 6The Holy Spirit did not let them preach the message in the province of Asia. So they traveled through the region of Phrygia and Galatia. 7When they reached the border of Mysia, they tried to go into the province of Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8They traveled through Mysia and went to Troas. 9Paul had a vision that night. In it he saw a Macedonian standing and pleading with him, »Come over to Macedonia and help us!« 10After Paul had this vision, we got ready to leave for Macedonia. We decided that God had called us to preach the good news to the people there. 11We left by ship from Troas and sailed to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis. 12From there we went inland to Philippi, a city of the first district of Macedonia. It is also a Roman colony. We spent several days there. 13On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the river where we thought there was a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women who gathered there. 14A woman named Lydia who was a seller of purple came from Thyatira. She worshipped God because God opened her heart to listen to the things spoken by Paul. 15When she and her household were baptized she came to us saying, »If you judge me to be faithful to God, come to my house, and stay there.« She absolutely insisted that we come. 16A young woman who had a spirit of divination met us as we were going to the place of prayer. She brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. 17She followed Paul and cried out: »These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.« 18She did this for many days. This troubled Paul. So he turned and said to the spirit, »I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!« And it came out that very hour. 19When her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they grabbed Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. 20They took them to the magistrates and said: »These men, being Jews, cause great trouble in our city. 21»They offer customs that it is not lawful for us to receive, or to observe, being Romans.« 22The crowd rose up against them. The magistrates ripped their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods. 23After they were severely beaten, they threw them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safe. 24Receiving this command he threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God at midnight. The prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was a massive earthquake. It was so great the foundations of the prison-house were shaken. All the doors were opened and everyone’s bands came off. 27The jailor, who was roused out of sleep and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28Paul cried with a loud voice: »Do not harm yourself for we are all here.« 29The jailer called for lights. He rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He brought them out and asked: »Sirs, what must I do to be saved?« 31They said: »Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your house.« 32They spoke the Word of God to him and those in his house. 33That very hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds. Then he and all his family were baptized. 34He took them to his house and fed them. They rejoiced along with his entire house, having believed in God. 35The next day the magistrates sent the officers saying: »Let those men go.« 36The jailor reported the words to Paul, saying: »The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore go in peace.« 37Paul said to them: »They have beaten us publicly uncondemned, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison. Do they now throw us out privately? No I say, but let them come in person to bring us out.« 38The officers reported these words to the magistrates. They feared when they heard that they were Romans. 39They personally came to them and brought them out. They asked them to go away from the city. 40They left the prison and entered the house of Lydia. When they saw the brothers they comforted them and then left.